The present invention relates in general to a gripping and fastening device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device having a flexible strip of material that can be repeatedly bent and unbent to grip a structure or article.
The prior art is replete with devices for holding articles, hanging devices, fixtures for supporting hooks and hangers, and devices for gripping and fastening about a structure. Many of the prior art devices have been formed of strips of material. However, they have not been highly repeatedly bendable and unbendable in order to retain an original shape. Instead, they have been either rigid devices, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,726,316, or formed of an elastic strip that fails or breaks after only a few cycles of bending and unbending.
The flexible devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,978,092 and 5,361,950 use score lines to allow for bending and unbending of a strip of material. The flexible device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 306,544 uses V-shaped grooves to allow for bending and unbending. Score lines and grooves in a material concentrate the bending into a very small area, thereby localizing a high stress concentration. This results in the disadvantage of rapid failure during bending and unbending.
The flexible device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,444 has radius or rounded end bend slots. These slots concentrate the bending into a very small area, which results in a high stress concentration and thus, rapid fracture and failure.
Although the art of gripping and fastening devices is well developed, there remain some problems inherent in this technology, particularly the rapid failure after only a few cycles of bending and unbending. Therefore, a need exists for a gripping and fastening device that is highly repeatedly bendable and unbendable and overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.
The present invention is directed to a gripping and fastening device for attaching to a structure. The device comprises a strip of material having a plurality of slots and a bend. The slots are disposed on one side of the bend, and the strip of material is bent through one of the slots such that the bend and the bent slot releasably support the device from the structure.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the slots are substantially rectangular shaped and are substantially equal in length. According to another aspect, the slots are dog bone shaped.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the lengths of the slots progressively increase as the distance of the slot from the bend increases.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an article carrying means is disposed on the strip of material for carrying an article. The article carrying means preferably comprises at least one of a hook, a loop, and an eyelet.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, preformed areas are formed in an area between the edges of the slots and the associated edge of the strip of material. Preferably, the preformed areas are raised.
In a further embodiment within the scope of the present invention, a flexible connector is provided for holding at least one article. The flexible connector comprises a strip of material having slots, preferably substantially rectangular or dog bone shaped. The strip of material is bent through at least one of the slots such that the at least one bent slot releasably holds the at least one article.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the flexible connector can be configured such that it can be doubled back on itself to form a loop.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the strip of material is bent through at least two of the slots such that the at least two bent slots releasably hold the at least one article between the at least two bent slots, and the flexible connector further comprises article carrying means disposed towards the ends of the strip of material.
The foregoing and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.